The National Capital Authority is considering changes to planning policy to protect the amenity of the Parliament House area in light of criticism over multi-unit developments.
The board met on Wednesday to discuss the changes.
NCA chief planner Andrew Smith said the work was instigated after feedback from the community and the board itself.
"We support urban renewal projects, but we also recognise there is an existing character that should be protected and preserved as best it can," Mr Smith said.
He said a few development proposals, in areas near State Circle in Deakin and Forrest, had caused disquiet in the community.
This includes a 13,300-square-metre site at the corner of State Circle and Canberra Avenue slated for a multi-unit development that will go under the hammer on March 21. The option of an 168-dwelling redevelopment on the site has the community alarmed, the Canberra Times reported in October.
"It has caused us to stop and reflect on what's going on there, and do an investigation on the issues that have been brought to our attention," Mr Smith said.
In particular, those issues were the loss of existing trees, multi-unit developments and the standard of architectural quality.
"The loss of the treescape isn't happening on the streets, but a lot of these blocks are quite large and because development occurred 50 years ago, the trees are quite large. Some of these trees are being lost as redevelopment occurs," Mr Smith said.
"The planning policies allow redevelopment and multi units, so a site can go from a single house to townhouse arrangement. Some members of the community aren't happy with that."
Mr Smith said it was a complex issue because while there were "one or two" proposals that were not well received, there were others under the same planning policies that were.
"What we have to find is a path that ensures that a development, whether it's one house or three houses on a block, falls in line with community expectation. Some work and some don't so we're trying to get an understanding of that."
Mr Smith said the State Circle area in particular was of concern because it was an unusual precinct.
"It is proximate to the Lodge, Parliament House, embassies and it's part of the original setting of the city. It's of a high level of importance," he said.
The ACT government is still considering whether it will undertake a review of the territory's planning strategy.
An ACT government spokesman said the planning strategy outlined how the territory would develop into the future "to meet the aspirations of the community".
"A review of the strategy may consider matters such as the impact of the redevelopment of large sites on streetscapes," he said.
"If a review is to go ahead the process will take up to 18 months."
The government has received complaints from residents concerned with the impact of new developments on established suburbs, particularly in relation to former Mr Fluffy blocks.
The government is preparing to auction a further 157 former Mr Fluffy blocks in March.
Under the Mr Fluffy planning rules, blocks over 700 square metres can be divided in two and used for two houses. The vast majority are more than 700 square metres.
The spokesman said Chief Minister Andrew Barr had made it clear he wanted to improve the government's community engagement across the board so a more representative sample of Canberrans could have their say.
Work towards this will get underway shortly, he said.